Not the Blonde Shawn White

    Two and a half weeks ago I went skiing for the first time. I've lived in Colorado my whole life, in fact my ancestors have been here since the early 1900's, and two weeks ago was my first time skiing. My parents never took my brother and I skiing because my mom doesn't like the cold and my dad really isn't that interested in the sport. I've wanted to ski for years now because so many people I know go and the culture seems fun, so I finally learned! My friend Erin and I went skiing at Loveland Ski Hill and I got the opportunity to have a lesson and "ski" a little afterwards!

Getting Ready
    I woke up at 5:00 in the morning, but got out of bed closer to 5:20. I put on my clothes that I set up the night before and discovered my snow pants were longer than expected, which was kind of a bummer. I then quickly ate my Cheerios, watched the fish sleep, said good-bye to my parents, and made like a baby and headed out! On my way to my friend Erin's house I listened to contemporary Christian music, Justin Bieber, and some Kid Cudi. I really enjoyed driving by Fairmount Cemetery because I enjoy reading 1880's in my free time and one I recently read talked about how Denver was opening  a new cemetery, The Fairmount Cemetery. Then, I just drove around Erin's neighborhood until it was 6:30. After going inside, smelling her candles, and watching Erin turn on classical music for the dogs, we left for Loveland. 

    The drive was fine. I enjoyed looking at all the old buildings in Denver. We arrived a little early, so we got to be some of the first fiveish people there. I was greeted by a wonderful man in a parka welcoming me to Loveland and who mistook me for someone else, but that's okay. It was chilly that morning! I don't usually mind the cold, but boy oh boy it was cold while the mountain was out of the sun. Erin and I tried to get my ticket/lesson/rental situation worked out, but it was very confusing, although it ended working out. I got my lesson paperwork filled out, was given my ski jacket tag, and was fitted for my rentals. The boots I received were TIGHT and the man working there said they were supposed to be, so I accepted it and got my skis. I then wobbled over to the parking lot to put away my shoes and my feet HURT. It felt like how my feet feel after wearing heeled boots for a whole day standing. I knew I needed to get a new pair of boots because these were unbearable and too squishy. I explained to the guy what happened and how I have H width feet and was only wearing one pair of socks. They gave me a new size and they were better, but still a little tight on the sides. I walked to the bunny hill with Erin before my lesson. I tried to get my skis on, but kept slipping and falling, so I became very frustrated. Thankfully, Erin was patient with me. I then decided the bunny "hill" was too steep for me, so I went to the restroom to regroup and collect myself. I felt better after collecting myself and not standing on my boots. It was time to begin my lesson with David. 

The Lesson
    With my instructor, David, I first learned how to click into my skis and move with one ski on. I guess moving with one ski on is supposed to be like riding a scooter, unfortunately I've never really ridden on a scooter. I then learned how to stick my skis in the snow, shuffle, and how to pizza. Some of it was difficult to understand because he kept saying to "stand in an athletic stance." David and I then went up the magic carpet. Most of the time I would lean back and flail getting on, but eventually I got used to it. When I was on the magic carpet my legs and feet started cramping up and I was about to cry because they hurt so badly. I skied out of the tunnel and had to sit down because my feet were killing me. So, on top of the "hill" I took off my boots and massaged my feet. I felt bad that I had to sit down and was wasting David's time, but it's like I did pay for it. David suggested I unclip the two bottom clips of my boots and that I should stand on my heels and balls of my feet. He also suggested I get custom ski boots. My feet started to feel better, so I popped my skis back on and began going down. I was supposed to put my arms out like a zombie for balance. It was okay, for someone reason I put more weight on my left foot, so I turned right, and kept crashing into the side of the magic carpet. I went down some more times, but kept running into the magic carpet. I didn't totally mind falling because it was a good way to stop and my feet got a break from the pain. Eventually we went over turning, but once again I had a difficult time understanding what David was trying to say because the terms "your downhill ski" and "uphill ski" confused me, shouldn't they both be going downhill? He then had me take off my skis and just practice walking and standing in the boots. That helped a lot to get better ski technique. I then took a water break and loosened my boots, so my feet weren't so squished. 

    We got back on the slope and my feet felt a bit better. We practiced shuffling a bit and some turning. David also let me get poles to increase my confidence. The poles helped a lot and I finally figured out to turn better by shifting my ankles, so I didn't crash into the carpet. My stance was better too as I figured out it was similar to a golfing stance. For a bit I was pretty good turning and would stop at the bottom since it kind of flattened out. Stopping was kind of hard though, thinking back I wasn't pushing enough snow out when pizzaing. For a while, it was all pretty good. David then called for another water break, so I filled up my water and went the bathroom where I loosened my boots even more. They felt way better! 

    Once back on the hill David suggested we go to the left of the carpet where it was steeper and faster. As I was getting off the magic carpet another instructor said to David, "Have you been on the lift yet?" to which he responded "Not yet, everyone learns at their own pace." So, I should've been on the lift at some point that day. I'm sure I was slower at learning, but David might've not been the best at teaching either. We went down a few times and on one I fell back and twisted my ankle. He said I need to fall sideways in order to not break my ACL. We went down another time and I twisted my knee. It hurt very badly and I was about to cry again. I told David this was going to be my last run because my feet and knee hurt so badly. I also said that I felt like I was going too fast to which David responded I "was only going 3-5mph and the hill record the other day was 80 mph, so (you) wasn't going that fast". So, I said "Okay, well I'm just learning, so that was kind of fast for me." I tried to get my skis back on to finish the run skiing, but they wouldn't click on. David tried to clean the snow out, but said it seemed like an equipment failure. That was interesting because later in the day, while skiing with Erin I couldn't click in and she noticed my skis were full of snow, so that probably was why they couldn't click in this time. My mom said David should've noticed that. He said that next time better fitting boots would help as I was probably focusing too much on my feet hurting. Anyways, I walked down and thanked David for the lesson. 

Resting

    Afterwards I sat at a picnic table with some Floridians and let my feet rest. I liked listening to them talk. They said stuff like "You are the slope." I don't know, they made me laugh. I then figured I needed to eat something. I dreaded getting my boots back on, but I put back them back on with everything unlocked and walked to the café. The café was very similar to the one's at the zoo or museum. I enjoyed sitting there and looking at the mountain. I even saw ski patrol pull in a woman on a backboard who was later wheel chaired out because her leg seemed hurt. I also saw a really tiny hill/bump where people would walk up, ski down, and stop naturally because the ground at the bottom went slightly up. After an hour and a half of sitting down and resting my knee I decided I could try skiing again on the really tiny hill. At some point during my rest I went to the restroom and took a little nap like thing in the stall. It was so nice. My hair also looked good after drying from being so wet. I then went to I met up with Erin and she encouraged me to go on the lift instead of the tiny hill. That's when everything went down hill.

All Smiles Wasn't All Smiles
    I was sure the bunny hill was too advanced for me. I shuffled my way over to the lift and wasn't sure how to get on with skis. I've been on a lift before, but only in the summer. Thankfully, Erin was ahead of me and told the guys that I hadn't been on a lift and needed help, so getting on wasn't too bad, but then I dropped a ski pole. Fortunately, the lift was slow and I was only five feet from the guys who worked there, so they just grabbed it and gave it back to me. I enjoyed the lift up. It was nice to see everything higher and let my legs hang down. Getting off was another story. I raised my bar, but wasn't sure how to get off, so I figured I'd just go back down the lift. Well, the operator stopped the lift and helped me get off and asked if I've been on a lift before, so I told him I'd just finished my lesson. I fell getting off, moved out of the way, and laid there for a few seconds. I was then alerted I had to move more out of the way as I would be ran over. So, I snatched my stuff up and crawled over to another area where I wouldn't be ran over. I got up and tried to get my skis, but once again they wouldn't click. Erin noticed I had too much snow in my boot, so I cleared it out and they clicked. Another skier suggested I go down Take Off trail as it was wider, but Erin and I decided on All Smiles instead.

On All Smiles I went a few feet, got nervous, and fell. I tried to get up but had to take off my skis to get up and then more snow got in my boot. I took a picture before I fell again and tried skiing down. I did kind of okay for a few feet turning, but I felt like I was too fast and found pizzaing difficult, so surprise I fell. How else do you stop? Apparently, I wasn't pushing my feet far enough apart. I tried to get up, but got more snow stuck in my boot. I encouraged Erin to go on without me, but she needed to make sure I could get down safely. I finally got the snow out and clicked into my skis. I got up again and went a little bit and fell. I was frustrated, I knew the bunny hill was too advanced for me. I'm reminded of the "Asspen" episode of South Park when the instructor says " If you ski out of your league, you're gonna have a bad time." I had trouble getting my skis on again and kept stomping in snow and getting it stuck. I felt bad for Erin because I kept freaking out, falling, then having to get up which means taking off my skis, then I would get snow stuck in my boot, so I had to scrape it out, then step in very little snow, click into my ski, and do it again. It was kind of the theme of the day. I fell again and had to scrap more snow out. I told Erin it'd be alright if she wanted to go down and I'd probably still be there. I scraped some snow out, got up, and fell. I was in the same place when Erin made her way back up. I eventually got up and went to the other side of the trail and fell. I then began crying. I knew the bunny hill was going to be too tough, all I wanted was to do the tiny bump next to the cafe. After some pouting a nice Villanova boy asked me if I needed help and he offered me his hand to assist me getting up. I got up and was able to go down hill and made it about ten or more feet down vertically! And then I fell. My boot also fell off. It wasn't tightened because they squeezed my feet too tight when they were clipped up. I got my boot back on and then Erin was back! I tried getting up and I think I did, but then I got snow in my boot. I'm sure this is getting repetitive. Then, Erin went back down.

    I finally decided after trying to ski and making it maybe 50 fifty feet it was time to carry my skis and walk down. I moved a lot quicker walking down than I did falling! I eventually got to where All Smiles kind of drops off, so I went to the side by the orange line and I stepped into snow that went up to my knee. I didn't totally mind that, so I took a minute to lay down and text people. I also told Erin that she should finish off the run with me. I got my leg out and carefully maneuvered my way down without falling into the snow again. I met up with Erin and showed her how "steep" the learning place was. We walked down and split up. Finally I had made it! I took an hour for a three minute run! 

Off We Go

    

    I went back to return my gear, however I needed a photo of myself first. I asked a stranger, but then then this nice old cowboy who worked there volunteered to take my photo. I went to return my stuff, but my bean boots were in the car, so the employees suggested I have my friend Erin get my shoes instead of walk around in my socks. But, then I just left in my socks. It wasn't too bad because my snow pants were long and covered most of my feet. On my way out I wanted a sticker, so I went into the gift shop area and got one. I wanted one of the iconic "I Ski Heart Land" stickers and found out they're free because they discontinued them last season. Finally, I made the 30 foot walk to the car in my socks! They were soaked from walking in the big water puddle! I got in the car, changed my socks, and Erin and I were on our way! The drive back was fine, you would not believe some of the drivers! Once again it was nice to see the older buildings downtown and it was fun to talk and laugh with Erin. We arrived at her house and I went on way home. My head was throbbing and the half mile drive to Starbucks was forever considering I had to use the restroom so badly. Thankfully, I made it home, which surprised me because my head hurt so badly. Then, a nap and dinner concluded my day of skiing. 

    

    Overall, I think I had an alright day. I really wish my boots fit better and an instructor who could explain things better to me. However, I really enjoyed the ski lift and everyone was so kind. So many people asked if I needed help while I was trying to ski on the All Smiles trail and everyone was so nice around the ski hill.

Anyways, thank you for reading and God Bless!